The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-03
BOOK NOTICES.

AMERICAN STATESMEN Patrick Henry, By Moses
Colt Tyler. Boston and New York: Hough-
ton, Mitfiin & Co.. 1887. 16mo., PIP. 1893.
This biography is the sixteenth in the
american Statesmen Series'--a series of
biographies of men conspicuous in the po-
litical history of the United States. As in
dictated by the editor, John T. Morse, Jr,
''the object of this series is not merely to
give a number of connected narratives of
men in American political life, but
to produce books which shall,
when taken together, Indicate
the lines of political thought
and development in American history"
There Is probably no better way of studying
history certainly no more entertaining one.
than the reading of good biographies of the
great men who have left their footprints
on the sands of time, y and the present series,
when completed, will give an excellent
political history of our country from the
great struggle for independence
down to a quite recent period.
Those who have been chosen to do this
work are men who, by their writings and
positions, nave shown themselves well quail
fed for the various tasks allotted them.
Professor Tyler is well known as the author
of a work on American History, and as
Professor of American History in Cornell
University, as well as of American Consti-
tutional History and Law in the New
School of Law at that Institution. A
life of Patrick Henry will be especially
welcome to students of American history.
as our knowledge Of this great man has been
largely limited to Wirt's Sketches of the
Life and Character of Patrick Henry"
published in 1918, work based more on
traditions than on a careful study of official
and other documents relating to the
subject, documents at that time
inaccessible to the biographer. To
these documents and many manuscripts
Professor Tyler has obtained access to- and
he has thus been enabled to write more
complete and moro impartial life of the
man. The chief value of this life is due to the
clearness with which the biographer has
shown us the relations which Patrick Henry
bore to his time, and his influence upon the
stirring events of those early days in our
history. In the biography OF a great man
it is this relationship which should be the
great object, and which is moreover the
most difficult part of the biographer's task,
and it is Just here that Prof Tyler has sue
ceeded so we'll His style is a pleasing one
and well adapted to the popular character
of his book We have noticed a rather free
use of adjectives, which detracts somewhat
from the vigor and terSeness of his style.
But this is of small Importance in a book
which gives ample evidence of
careful study and research, and
an impartial handling of the subject.
The value of the book has been enhanced by
photography and complete index. 1t is
needless to say that the publishers have done
their work well; the type and paper are ex-
cellent, the proof reading carefully done,
aud the size Of the book convenient orread-
ing.
MAGAZINES.
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q w
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Political Science quarterly for Septom-
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Commerce Law by Edwin r. A. Selig-
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Prof. Arson d. Morse presents some excel
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